IPA: /ˈpɒdzəl/
KK: /ˈpɒdzəl/
A type of soil that is formed in cool, wet areas, often found under forests, characterized by layers that have been leached of nutrients and contain organic material.
Podzol soils are commonly found in northern regions where coniferous forests grow.
Podzol originates from Russian 'podzol', where 'pod-' means 'under' and 'zol' means 'ash' or 'soil'. The term refers to a type of soil that is characterized by a leached layer beneath the surface, often appearing as a lighter color due to the removal of minerals and organic matter.
Think of 'under' ('pod-') and 'ash' or 'soil' ('zol') to remember that podzol refers to soil that has a layer beneath the surface, often lighter in color.